The study also looked at who is receiving benefits. About 60% of Democrats have benefited from a major entitlement program, while 52% of Republicans have.

Overall, Democrats were more likely to have received poverty or unemployment assistance, but when it comes to programs for the elderly, like Social Security and Medicare, both Democrats and Republicans are equally likely to have used those benefits.

Participation in government entitlement programs also varied across the income spectrum. Among adults earning $30,000 a year or less, 70% said they had benefited from government aid at some point. And 39% of adults making at least $100,000 a year have received some form of aid.

The Pew Research Center data comes from a survey of 2,500 adults, conducted by telephone about two weeks ago.

*An earlier version of the chart incorrectly stated percentages for Medicaid, food stamps, Medicare, and Social Security. A corrected version appears above.